Saving Time
by TorrensLuxAeterna
Summary: Set after "Breaking Dawn". After years of living a peaceful and normal life the Cullens have decided to move back to Forks. This time around bigger problems arise then they could have imagined putting not just themselves in grave danger.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer ~ Anything Twilight related I do not own, they belong all to Stephanie Meyer.

* * *

**"Saving Time"**

**Prolog**

**Published: December 27, 2008**

"_He who has gone, so we but cherish his memory, abides with us, more potent, nay, more present than the living man." ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery_

It had been a hundred years since my father's death. Even after a hundred years of his absence there were still parts of me that even now missed him. Time made it easier, just as Edward had said it would, but it couldn't erase him from my memory. I don't think anything ever would.

Watching my father die before me was one of the hardest things for me to witness. Death had pounded at my father's door for quite some time, four years to be exact. Charlie, he was resilient till the end. I believe at times he held on not because he was not ready, but because I was not ready to let him go.

He never asked me to deliver him from the agony of humanity. Charlie – he never wanted to be part of my world. A world I chose it seems by choosing to live with him. Eighty – two years of life lived was enough for him. I stopped at times to ponder this. Was a life time truly a sufficient amount of time to love someone? For so many people it was enough, yet for me I cannot imagine having less than an eternity with Edward.

When his passed away Charlie was wrinkled with time. His skin had turned waxy and a little yellow even from the cancer. I remember holding his frail hands. They appeared to be more fragile than glass in my hands. He looked tired and worn everywhere, except for his eyes. They were glassy, the way many people appear right before they die, but within them I saw the man I loved… my dad.

That night Charlie stared at me mostly – few words were exchanged. I think he knew it was our last night together. I could have sat there forever just listening to the slowing beat of his heart. As the hours passed he grasped my hand even more, his breath became more ragged. I wanted to look away, and leave – it hurt to see him like this, but I couldn't let him die alone. He smiled at me one last time with the last beat of his heart. I didn't need a machine to tell me he had died. I could feel the stop of his blood in his veins, I could hear the stopping of his heart, and he was cold – colder than any human I had felt before.

The nurses rushed in his room, checking his vitals – recording his time of death. I was frozen. They tried speaking to me, but it was as if they were only moving their lips. Minutes later Sue rushed in sobbing and screaming over the loss of her husband. Eventually they pulled her away when she started shaking Charlie telling him to come back. Edward came too. He stood behind me.

"Bella, he's gone – you have to let him go…"

For the first time in an hour I broke my gaze at Charlie. I bit my lip before standing up. My fingers brushed his cheek and I kissed his forehead one last time.

"I'll always love and remember you dad."

Edward hugged me, and I crumbled in his arms as a small piece of my heart was chipped away forever.

Now all I had of him were my memories. My finger ran across the granite tombstone engraved with his name. Next to him was Sue – she had shortly after him of a natural death. I looked at the tombstone thinking or hoping that by some miracle of a chance I just might see him again, if I looked long enough. "I'll always love you."

I turned to Edward, looking in his golden amber eyes.

"I'm ready."

Quickly I brushed myself off before walking hand in hand with Edward through the rest of the graveyard.

A hundred years had fifty years had passed since I'd become a vampire, and while a great deal of things had happened during that period of time, so little of it seemed of any real significance making it feel as if little had happened. Both my parents and step parents had passed on. Renesemee and Jacob eventually got married, much to the discretion of Edward whom still saw our daughter as this little girl with bouncing curls running back into his arms. Now they had two children making me a grandma, a very, very, young one, but a grandma none the less. Over the years Renesemee and I became more and more like best friends, or sisters, though she'd always be my daughter. Jacob did start aging again once Renesemee had reached his age. When she'd stop, so did he, but even he was starting to age again – dramatically slower than a human. It was clear though now, he would not be able to live for forever, unless… Everyone else was pretty much the same.

I have lived in countless homes and places now, but Carlisle decided we should move back to Forks again. Esme was thrilled to hear the news. She loved that home and as soon as she heard she began plans for updates and renovations before we could move back in. All of which were done now.

Personally I was excited to move back to Forks. Granted, this time there would be no Mike, Jessica, Angela, or even Eric. The school I originally attended had been torn down and now a new one stood in place. The teachers were different, I was even different. No longer was I accident prone – well at times it seemed as if I still were, but now I was much more durable, this time I would not being falling in love rather I was already in love and had been for over a century.

I couldn't help but smile as I came upon our home – my first home as a vampire. Without warning I took off at full speed toward the house. Edward was right beside me in an instant.

"Welcome home Bella." Edward said wrapping his arms around me and kissing me on the head. Home… Home was a very good feeling especially with the people I loved more than anything on this Earth.

* * *

I hope you enjoyed reading and that you have a very merry holiday season.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer ~ I do not own anything Twilight related they all belong to Stephanie Meyer

Thank you for your comments…

ShikaGirl1990

SWEET-STUFF063

Kuddls

INeedEdwardMoreThanLifeItself

Also thank you to everyone else who took time out of their day to even glance or skim through the Prolog.

* * *

Saving Time

Chapter One: Starting Over

Date of Post December 31st 2008

"_At the earliest drawings of the fractal curve, few clues to the underlying mathematical structure will be seen" ~ _Louis L'Amour from_ Lone_

Several days had passed since we'd move back. It had been decades since I'd last visited Forks. At first site Forks appeared to have changed dramatically. There were different restaurants, general stores, specialty shops etcetera. Some things had not changed. The people still acted and talked the same, the weather, the atmosphere of the quaint town, some of the brick buildings, the weather, the surrounding forests, and the weather. As with most small towns, unsurprisingly we became the latest topic to discuss over coffee at the diners in town.

Before I had become a vampire Forks was anything and everything but ideal. Now over a century and a half later everything I despised this town for when I had first arrived, were the same reasons for me loving it. Coming here again was like going home. I would say it warmed my heart, if I had one. The one aspect of coming back I was not looking forward to was starting school over for the – I don't know how many time. I lost count after a while. However, I did have quite the collection of Graduation Caps, not like Edward's which could fill an entire wall now, but still I had a large stack of them. For my second time ever I was going to be starting school again at Forks High School.

Starting over in a school usually meant being the center attention. Living in a new place and having the town talk about you did not even begin to compare having a school talk about you. At a school you had to deal with everyone whom you met on a personal level. Oh and a person cannot forget the same questions and introductions over and over again. It made me want to hide in a closet for a week, but I was a Cullen and hiding in a closet would be inappropriate by all means. Not only that, but my behavior would disappoint Esme and Carlisle – I just couldn't let them down in that way. Now there was only an hour until school the butterflies – more like angry hornets were swarming in my stomach.

"Bella, you cannot possibly think that you are going to wear that on your first day of school!" Alice said as she came into Edward and my room.

"What's wrong with sweat pants and a t shirt? Other people wear it all the time and it's ok…"

"Bella, Bella, Bella, when are you going to learn – you have a huge closet full of wonderful clothing options and you pick sweat pants and a t shirt that saw its worse days ten years ago."

"But I like the t shirt and I – I'm not going to win this am I Alice."

"Nope!" Alice grinned.

I plopped myself down on the couch. "Alice what would you like me to wear today, so that I make a good first impression on our fellow classmates."

In no time at all Alice pulled out a pair of dark jeans, a forest green ¾ sleeve top with a brown scarf and shoes.

"Put it on and then you and I need to have a date in the bathroom"

I knew this meant my hair was also not acceptable in her eyes. It made me wonder if I would ever not be her life size Barbie doll. Over time she had rubbed off on me a little, even if I didn't want to admit it.

"Where to begin? Bella when's the last time you brushed your hair?"

"Yesterday…"

All Alice did was shake her head. Not even a half hour later she had my hair lightly curled at the bottom with a little bit pulled back away from my face.

"There, beautiful."

"I thought you said I looked beautiful anyway…"

"You do Bella except for when you choose to look dead. Hurry up, we need to leave."

"Do you think I can just skip today?"

"No you can't. It won't be that bad Bella – just think of all the new people you get to meet, who are waiting to meet you."

I grabbed mine and Edward's bag he forgot to grab, and headed down to the garage.

As the bell rang I was the last one to walk into class. This time around I decided to take some courses on my own first up was English, and Mrs. Silva was my teacher. She was about 5'8, probably in her early to mid fifties. Her hair was dark brown short and had started to thin. Wrinkles were starting to make themselves known on her face especially around her eyes. Like her hair, her eyes were a deep dark brown, she wore thin silver framed glasses. When she smiled broadly they twinkled. Mostly her lips were pressed together. Mrs. Silva was not obese, but she wasn't skinny either rather she was on the heavier side of average. Accompanied with her looks was an air about her. She held herself up right almost as if she knew she was better than the rest of us.

"Class I would like to introduce to you Bella Cullen, Bella why don't you tell us a little about yourself."

So it begins… "Well I moved from a town near Anchorage, Alaska. I am adopted, as were the rest of my siblings. My mom is a stay at home mom, and my dad is a doctor at the local hospital."

"That's nice. Now Bella, you may take a seat behind Mark, over there. Now we just finished talking about Transcendentalism and Anti-transcendentalism, you will need to get those notes from someone, and today we are going to speak about Romanticism, and Classicism, so if all of you would take out your pen and notebook we will begin."

I walked to the fifth column of desks and sat in the third seat back behind the boy Mark as Mrs. Silva walked to the back of the class room to use the back boards. All of us turned using the desk behind us as a desk to write on.

"Now classicism is a time in history when English, as well as other people began looking back to the way ancient Greeks and Romans did things in art, literature, architecture…"

The further she went a long in her lecture the more mentally disconnected I became. I was writing everything down she was saying, but I certainly wasn't focused. The people and the room sort of became a blur to me as my mind drifted back to my first day last time I went to Forks High School. I remembered meeting Eric, Angela, Mike and Jessica. They had so much energy, it scared me a little. Now in the Graveyard held at least Eric's Grave I saw as I walk in to visit my father's. I'm sure I could find the rest of them too if I looked. This was the one pain of being immortal.

"Bella – uh – hi!"

I shook myself from my thoughts. An average girl with auburn colored hair, blue eyes, and freckles was standing next to me.

"The bell rang."

"Oh, I didn't hear it…"

"My name is Kaylee." She continued putting her hand out to shake as we walked out of the classroom.

"Nice to meet you Kaylee," I replied shaking it.

"Wow, your hands are cold. Sorry, that was rude of me."

"It's ok, they're like that a lot – I think I have poor blood circulation in my hands at times."

She smiled back. "What class do you have next?"

"I have…World History."

"I'm heading that way – I have choir, but Andrew, my friend, has that class right now. I'll introduce you. Oh, and if you need to you can copy my notes on Transcendentalism and Anti- transcendentalism."

"Thanks."

Kaylee pushed her way through the hall ways as she led me down to the first floor. Freshmen blocked the hallway as they clumped around their lockers. The hallways were more like clogged arteries than anything else.

"Here we are!"

She was very bubbly bordering on the line of I am going to throw up if you are any happier. It made me happy seeing her happy like this though.

"Andrew!" Kaylee waved to a tall guy that reminded me a lot of Emmett, except with darker skin and curly hair in ringlets.

"Hey girl – don't you have choir?"

"Yes. This is Bella Cullen – she's new here."

"You wouldn't be related to Edward Cullen would you?"

"Well he's my adopted brother. Have you met him?"

"I was just in Anatomy with him. That kid is smart – it's like he's a doctor already or somethin'"

"Our dad is a doctor…" I offered.

"That explains it."

"I need to go, or I'll be late to choir, I'll catch up with you at lunch. See you Bella, by Andrew."

"Bye Kaylee." We said in unison.

"Shall we?" Andrew gestured for me to go first into the room.

I walked in. He then introduced me to our teacher Mr. Wright. Mr. Wright looked a lot like Jim Carrey, when he was in Dumb and Dumber, with lighter brown hair that wasn't as prim. Just meeting Mr. Wright you could tell he was laid back kind of teacher that everyone like, but had the class under complete control and you didn't cross him. "Bella sit where ever you like. This CD has your book on it, here's a hard copy of your book. I'm not sure what you were learning at your last school in World History, but if you need any notes or information see me after class if you're lost. Here's a paper you need to sign your name and bar code of your book and CD."

I took the empty seat by Andrew and signed the paper as Mr. Wright did roll call.

"Bella how many of you are there." He whispered.

I was caught off guard by the question Andrew randomly asked me. "Including me, there are 6 of us."

"Is it true you're all adopted?"

"Yeah."

"Where did you move from?"

"Should I be getting a lawyer?"

"Sorry… I shouldn't be asking so many questions."

"I moved from a town outside of Anchorage, Alaska."

"That's a long way from here."

"Alright class, take one of these and pass it back." Mr. Wright interrupted.

The class groaned as soon as they realized they were getting a pop quiz.

"Bella you don't need to take this quiz."

Time ticked away slowly as the class went on and the rest of my classes before lunch period. When lunch finally did come, I could not of been happier. It was the one of the only periods I had with rest of my family, or Edward for that matter. As soon as I got to the lunch room Kaylee had already asked me to sit with her and her friends. I felt trapped. She had been nice showing me how to get to pretty much all of my classes so far, and to not sit with her would be rude, something a Cullen was not, so I agreed.

Not a minute after I took my seat next to Kaylee at a table where currently the only other person I knew was Andrew, Emmet and Edward showed up in the room.

Edward, Jasper, Alice and I were starting out as sophomores – which were pushing it. Emmet and Rosalie were starting this time out as juniors.

"Hey it's my favorite little sister, Bella." Emmett called as he reached my table. I couldn't help but smile. It was comforting having my family go through this with me.

"Hi Emmett and Edward. Where's the rest of everyone?"

"They weren't that hungry so they went to a study hall. Already you have made friends, I told you it wasn't going to be so bad Bella" Edward commented.

"I admit it's not as bad as usual, Edward. Oh I'm sorry, Edward and Emmett this is Kaylee and Andrew, I don't know the rest of the people though."

"I'm sorry Bella for not introducing you right away, this is Aden, Evan, Eva, and Lizzy."

"It's nice to meet you."

"Here scoot over Aden." Kaylee said.

"You don't have to do that." Emmett said.

"Don't fret it, we can squeeze."

"Eva and I are done anyway, so you can take our seats, Emmet and Edward." Lizzy said getting up.

"Thanks. Edward replied.

Kaylee practically cut Edward off asking. "How many schools have you been to before this?"

"A couple – our dad likes to move around to different hospitals." Emmett covered.

"Well Bella, you two as well, if you want, we were all going to have dinner together tonight at my place, you should come, and there'll be other people from school coming and you could get to know them too."

"That's very kind of you Kaylee, to invite Bella, Emmett and I, however, we have relatives coming over to our house tonight, so we will be unable to attend."

"We do Edward?"

"It was a last minute decision, Alice just told me."

"Oh, well maybe next time." Kaylee smiled. Right then the bell rang, ending the lunch period. I went off with Edward to our next class – Algebra 2.

Once again we were introduced, welcomed to the class, this was all becoming rather annoying to me. Edward and I thankfully were sat next to each in the back of the room as usual.

_Edward when did Alice find out? _I wrote slipping him a note.

_Alice found out during first period. _

_Oh, is something wrong? They usually don't just up and decide to come visit us like this…_

_Nothing is wrong, Tanya and Katie, while in Quebec City, came across another vampire named Wesley. Tanya and Wesley fell in love, and are now going to get married – they are coming to share the news, and will be arriving about when we get done home from school._

_That's good news, I'm happy she found someone. So Wesley, is a vegetarian too right?_

_I am not sure. We'll find out soon enough._

_If he isn't – then what? Edward, we cannot just have him hunting anywhere in Forks, especially anywhere on reservation lands. The treaty is still in place…_

_I haven't forgotten about the treaty – I was there when it was made. We'll worry about it when he arrives, he may be a vegetarian for all we know. _

I looked up at Edward after I read his last note.

"Don't worry about it my Bella – I will be alright I promise." Edward whispered to me.

I couldn't help but trust Edward, especially when he looked at me with those eyes.

Miraculously, the school day ended and we were off again. Alice hardly appeared as if she could contain herself on the ride home.

"You should have seen her in class." Jasper spoke up. "I have never seen Alice as involved in a class lecture as she was today."

"Jasper, I am just thrilled about the news, and now there will be a wedding to plan! Weddings are always exciting to plan and this one even more so since it's her first time getting married. The last time this happened was when Edward and Bella were married" Finishing, Alice beamed at Edward and I.

All too soon the car was in the drive way and Alice jumped out and ran inside the house. Everyone just laughed seeing Alice.

"Ah, here they are." Carlisle said. "Wesley this is Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett, and Bella. Wesley is Tanya's fiancé."

He was very athletically built, dirty blonde with piercing eyes. Wesley's held himself in a way he radiated an aura of dominance and regality. That one could possess such a presence was frightening. Looking over him, my feet froze to the tiled floors.

"Bella?" Edward called softly.

I saw Wesley's hand he offered out of a means of greeting. "Sorry, I was just thing… It's nice to meet you Wesley." I shook his hand.

"What about?"

"Nothing of importance," I smiled.

Edward questioningly looked at me from behind Wesley. As they moved to the living room I let everyone go before me.

"Is everything alright Bella? You normally don't act this way when you meet people."

"Yeah, Edward – there's just something about him… It will be alright, it's probably just me anyway."

Deciding to let the issue go he wrapped his arm around me as we made our way to the living room as Wesley was talking about his past.

"… 1820. I don't know who bit me. At the time it was dark, I was 23. I know it was a woman. Something else came a long though and she went running off. Thinking back it must have been another vampire. Next thing I knew was being in the woods behind the town where I had grown up. There was another vampire with me – Fredrick. He did not stay with me long. Only long enough to get me through my first year. Many years, I wandered around; a large sum of it was overseas. I came back to Canada as I became bored of my surroundings. That is where I met Tanya, and my whole world changed."

Wesley tightened his grip on Tanya's hand smiling at her.

"How are you adjusting to being a _vegetarian?"_ Jasper asked.

"All things, considered, I believe he's doing fine." Tanya replied for him

"It is not the same, and has taken a lot of effort to get use to, the more I try, the easier it is to continue," added Wesley.

After long hours of conversing we'd all split up to do our own thing, Edward and I headed outside and walked up to our long abandoned cottage for the first time since coming back to Forks. Floors and ceilings were covered in dust. The furniture was still was covered in white sheets. It amazed me stepping onto the creaky floor that no one had been here since probably after we'd moved away. I made my way to Renesme's room stopping in the doorway, Edward following behind me.

"It's been so long…"

"I know."

"Do you think she's alright? I miss them so much"

"If you would have asked me that question all those long years ago when I first met Jacob and told me my daughter was going to marry him –"

"You wouldn't have believed them to begin with when they said "your daughter" Edward."

"Yes, but I never would say anyone could be safe with a shape shifter. Now, I have no doubt that Renesme is doing lovely." He slipped his arms around my waist, holding me close.

"I guess you're right."

"I am."

I couldn't help but laugh at his remark. Turning serious I looked up at him.

"Edward… Today when we were speaking with Katie, Tanya, and Wesley, you seemed so rigid, like something wasn't right…"

"I couldn't read his entire mind… It was as if he was censoring what I could see. Then the more I tried, the harder it was to read any of it. It was a strange feeling, like being in a glass globe and you've come to the edge you can't get past but you know there's more beyond the globe.

"He just met you Edward. Maybe he doesn't know whether or not to trust you – you can be very intimidating. Wesley seemed decent enough, and Tanya loves him. I don't think I've ever seen her so happy."

"Or he's hiding something."

"What would a guy like Wesley have to hide? He practically told us his whole life story Edward."

"I don't know Bella…"

"See."

* * *

Thanks for reading and I hope you have a wonderful Happy New Year's Day!

For those who were wondering word count stands as – 3,286 words, the last chapter was 1,049 words.


End file.
